The Island That Likes To Be Visited

Join us for the Opening Reception of "The Island The Likes To Be Visited" on Monday, September 10th from 5:30pm - 7:30pm

The Island That Likes To Be Visited is an exhibition of Anthotypes by Ryan Strand Greenberg that were created as part of Philadelphia Artists Collective’s Artist in Residence program. The body of work on display was created during the month of August, using plant pigments from flower petals, berries, weeds, and nuts found in and around The Woodlands Cemetery. This exhibit is held in conjunction with PAC’s production of Mary Rose written by J.M. Barrie, and is inspired by the botanical history of The Woodlands.

In the early 19th century, Henri August Vogel discovered plant pigments were sensitive to light. This paved the way for the development of the anthotype process. An anthotype is an image that is created by exposing plant pigments to sunlight. To produce an anthotype, a photographic positive is placed on top of dyed paper and then laid in the sun. With time, sunlight bleaches away any areas on the paper that are not concealed. This process can take anywhere from a few days to a few months.

Pokeberry, goldenrod, crepe myrtle, and black walnut were harvested, and their pigments used for the prints in this exhibition. These anthotypes once completely exposed, will continue to fade throughout the exhibition from the very light that allows them to be seen.

In the exhibition, three completed prints and three works in progress are shown. This provides the viewer the opportunity to witness, simultaneously, the constant cycle of growth and decay as they become anew each day. The exhibition and performance of Mary Rose jointly explore the relationship we have with time, memory, and loss.